This invention relates generally to methods for the preparation of hydroxylated organic compounds and more specifically to the introduction of a hydroxyl group into alkyl and alkylene constituents of organic compounds.
Although the introduction of hydroxyl groups into saturated aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon compounds by microbiological means has been known for many years, satisfactory methods of direct hydroxylation of these structures by purely chemical procedures have not been available in the past. Many oxidative procedures are known which introduce oxygenated functions into saturated hydrocarbon chains; but in general, an undesirable mixture of alcohol, aldehyde, ketone and carboxylic acid results.